VCTGA News Journal Spring 2017 by Jeff Miller

Inside this Issue: 2017 National Christmas Tree Contest – 2 From the President – 3 VCTGA Annual Meeting August 10-12 Preview ‒ 4 Shortages Looming? ‒ 4 No Fertilizer for 16 Years ‒ 6 Questions for Members ‒ 10 Managing Vegetation – 10 Grower Profile: 27 Years Ago − 13 Recycling Evergreens: 30 Years Ago – 13 Beneficial Pollinators ‒ 14 Pest Predictive Calendar ‒ 15 Wythe County Added to ˆGypsy Moth Quarantine ‒ 16 VCTGA 3/15/17 Board Meeting ‒ 17 NCTA News & Membership ‒ 18 Christmas Tree Promotion Board ‒ 19

Volume 7, Issue 2

Spring 2017

Tree and Seedling Supply Shortage? Transitioning to the Next Generation/Owner? Value Gained from Genetic Tree Improvements?

Advertisers Bosch’s Countryview Nursery – 5 Tim Mitchell’s Yule Stand System ‒ 9 Alpha Nurseries ‒ 12 Riverside Enterprises ‒ 15 Kelco ‒ 15 Tree Teck ‒ 18 Wagoner’s Fraser Knoll ‒ 20

Save the Dates August 10-12, 2017!

ANNUAL CONFERENCE, WYTHEVILLE, VA

NCTA Hosting National Christmas Tree Contest in Wisconsin

National Christmas Tree Stops in Blacksburg, VA

Qualified growers from across the country are encouraged to travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin in August to compete in the National Christmas Tree and Wreath Contest. The contest will take place on August 18 at the Radisson Hotel in Green Bay. Registration and instruction kits will soon be sent to state association offices with detailed information on the contest.

The National Christmas Tree made its final stop in Blacksburg, VA on November 25. The 80’ Engelmann spruce was cut in Little Ski Hill, Idaho. Payette National Forest workers used a traditional crosscut saw, as a way of honoring the traditional logging skills and tools used in the region.

The contest will be just one event in a convergence of Christmas tree industry happenings that week. The National Christmas Tree Association Board of Directors will be meeting at the same location on August 16. The following day, the Christmas Tree Promotion Board as well as the Christmas Spirit Foundation Trustees will also meet. All of these meetings are being held around the Wisconsin Christmas Tree Producers Association’s Summer Meeting. The Wisconsin growers welcome all interested producers to attend their event that includes an optional day of programming at Whispering Pines Tree Farm on Thursday, August 17. Friday kicks off the official event with scheduled presenters including Craig Regelbrugge with AmericanHort, Tim O’Connor with the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and National Christmas Tree Association, as well as a preview of the Promotion Board’s 2017 campaign. Saturday is a tour of North Countree Christmas and wraps with a Wisconsin-style “Beer and Brats Tailgate Party.” National Tree and Wreath Contest winners will be announced at the Friday evening banquet and the Grand Champion winner will have the honor of being considered to present a Christmas tree to the White House. Provided by the National Christmas Tree Association http://www.realchristmastrees.org

2 |

Page 2

(left) Jane Graham, Dublin, VA, American Farm Publication Correspondent, interviews one of the National Forest Service staff, in Blacksburg, accompanying the tree on it's 3,000 mile trip from Idaho to Washingon, DC Photos by Jeff Miller

Save the Date! Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Annual Meeting and Conference August 10-12, 2017 Wytheville Meeting Center

Are You Ready to Transition Your Business to the next Generation/ Owner?

One of multiple 4’x4’ banners available from the Christmas Tree Promotion Board’s (CTPB) marketing campaign. Download their catalog of marketing materials from http://www.christmastreepromotionboard.org/2016-campaign/ VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017

From the President

Good day everyone. I hope this message finds all of you in good health, well rested and ready for another successful year. By most accounts, both real and anecdotal, we have heard that many members enjoyed their most successful season in years. The VCTGA wants to help each of you continue with your success. Elsewhere in this edition of the Journal you will find information regarding the 2017 VCTGA Annual Meeting. Vice President John Carroll has put together an excellent program for the meeting which we believe you will find interesting and useful in your everyday work. The dates are August 10-12 at the Wytheville Meeting Center. Please mark your calendars now and plan to attend. The Annual Meeting is a great time to meet other members and exchange ideas. We hope you will make every effort to attend.

other commodity producers. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange ideas on how to improve attendance and traffic through the agriculture pavilion at the Fair. Different layouts were discussed as well as more signage and promotion. We are encouraged by these efforts as we believe the State Fair is an excellent showcase for our industry. Speaking of the State Fair, please mark your calendars for this year’s event: September 29 through October 8. VCTGA is always in need of volunteers to staff our exhibit and we hope you will consider participating later this year. The VCTGA has once again applied for a specialty crop grant. The USDA has given approximately $360,000 in total grant money to Virginia. The grants are managed by VDACS. Many thanks to Greg Lemmer for taking time to write the grant application. If approved, we will use the money for a number of different projects. We will redo our printed material and update our exbibit displays and web site to take advantage of the national marketing campaign being implemented by the Christmas Tree Promotion Board. We hope to know by early fall if our application is approved. That’s all for now. I hope you enjoy this edition of the Journal. As always if you have any questions or suggestions please don’t hesitate to contact me or any member of the Board to pass along your thoughts. Thank you. Jeff Gregson, President VCTGA 2016-17

Membership

Membership Paris Rasnic Paris Rasnic

TechnicalSupport Support Technical & Production & Production JohnCarroll Carroll&&Kyle KylePeer Peer John Mount Rogers Report Mount Rogers Report Jackie Davis, President, MRCTGA

Jackie Davis, President, MRCTGA Pathology & Disease Norman& Dart Pathology Disease

Norman Pests Dart Eric Day

Pests

VDACS Support & Updates Eric Day Danny Neel Dave Robishaw VDACS Support & Updates

Danny Neel Marketing, Promotion, Dave Robishaw & Social Media Sue Bostic

Marketing, Promotion, Grant Updates & Social Media Greg Lemmer Sue Bostic

Editor in Chief - Jeff Miller

Grant Updates

Virginia Christmas Greg Lemmer Tree Growers Association Inc. 383inCoal Hollow Editor Chief - JeffRd Miller Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 PH: 540-382-7310

Virginia Christmas Tree Fax: 540-382-2716 Growers Association Inc. secretary@VirginiaChristmasTrees.org

383 Coal Hollow Rd. www.VirginiaChristmasTreees.org Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 PH: 540-382-7310 Fax: 540-382-2716 secretary@VirginiaChristmasTrees.org

I recently attended a meeting with representatives of the Virginia Farm Bureau, the State Fair of Virginia and VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Contributingand Coordinating andCoordinating CoordinatingEditors Editors

www.VirginiaChristmasTrees.org

Page | 3

Challenges of a Growing Market …Can we meet the Demand? VCTGA Annual Meeting VCTGA Annual Meeting & Conference & Conference

WythevilleMeeting MeetingCenter: Center: Wytheville Wytheville, Virginia Wytheville, Virginia August 10-12, August 10-12,2017 2017 Save Savethe theDate! Date!

This year was one of the best sales seasons for our industry in recent memory. With the new Check off program beginning to successfully promote our product and a very clear statement from millennials that they value the family tradition of purchasing a real tree ,it appears that we are poised to have a very successful 10 or more years of record sales, price appreciation, and growth in our industry. We all knew this was coming, or at least we hoped so, but are we ready to meet this market? Our annual meeting in Wytheville this summer will focus on meeting the future demands from our customers by addressing critical issues and opportunities in our industry. You will want to make plans to attend this meeting, August 10-12, 2017. We’ll be meeting in the beautiful Wytheville Meeting Center which is located right off Interstates 81 and 77. The program planning is nearly complete and will feature industry experts on current and future tree supply, tree establishment, new spe 4Page |

cies research, gains in value from genetic tree improvement, customer service trends and challenges, and transitioning our business to the next generation.

Shortages Looming? Be Prepared By Tommy Naylor

In addition, we’ll have some fun with a Thursday evening outing to the Beagle Ridge Herb Farm; our new tradition, the Friday Awards Luncheon; and our lively scholarship auction featuring Auctioneer Danny Neal. We’ll also have a group of loyal exhibitors on site that have been so supportive of our industry. Combine all of this with a pre-conference pesticide certification class along with a concluding Christmas tree field tour on Saturday and you have the makings of one of our best meetings. If you want to remain relevant in our industry, you’ll want to attend this meeting! Details on our Program are listed below. Pesticide Recertification – Thursday morning Program Begins: 1:00 pm Thursday August 10 Industry Speakers: Dr. Earl Deal, Smokey Holler Tree Farm, and James Rockis, Reliable Source and Current Chair of the Check off Board. University Speakers: Dr. John Frampton, North Carolina State University, Dr. Vincent Magnini and Dr. Alex White, Virginia Tech Panels: Next Generation Christmas Tree Producers (from our Membership) Pre-Conference Pesticide Certification: Kyle Peer and Eric Day, Virginia Tech Tree and Wreathe Contest: Set up Thursday 8:00 am-12:00 noon; Robert O’Keeffe Christmas Tree Farm Field Tour: 9:00 am-1:00 pm Saturday August 12 Provided by John Carroll, VCTGA Vice President

The glut has been consumed. For years, we have had an ample supply of seedlings and transplants to continue our planting needs. However, this may be changing. Upon attending the winter meeting of the North Carolina Christmas Tree Association, I learned of the potential of forthcoming shortages. Personally, I am not surprised because I have gotten a whiff of knowledge in a similar situation from the nursery and landscape industry. There are perhaps three or four reasons why this may be occurring. Hard Economic Times For eight years, the economy tanked, sending plant sales to all-time lows and much plant material was destroyed due to a diminishing market. New construction in the housing industry dropped drastically and disposable income also dropped. Therefore, propagated plant material and seedlings were scrapped with little or no need to grow to a marketable plant. Since then, the markets are returning and better times are upon us. But some larger growers of plant material are apprehensive about getting back into the seedling/transplant market again due to the misfortune they had before. Contaminated Seedlings What I learned at the meeting seedlings may have pathogens that will VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

lead to an overall decline of the tree. In North Carolina, there are no white pine seedlings that can be purchased. What was available was spoken for months ago, and the effects of hurricane Matthew finished off any availability unspoken for. At the Linville River Nursery, the N.C. Forestry Service Division has unfortunately diseased white pine due to phytophora and has no doubt affected the Fraser fir population as well. Thus, another blow for availability. Fortunately, the Virginia Department of Forestry had white pine availability as of early January, of this year. But where do other problems exist for an available source? Seed Orchards? There are numerous seed orchards for Fraser fir either by private owner or by state agencies such as the forestry service. However, as these age new orchards has to be planted to continue the seed source. Each orchard has its

own unique characteristic of Fraser fir due to perhaps the area of the mountain region the native species is indigenous to. Some areas of western NC and southwestern Virginia will feature differences in the tree such as a deeper green color or the growing habit (narrow or broad growth).

When referring to other species, what about white pine? Where are the known white pine orchards to collect these seeds? In North Carolina for years, a reliable seed orchard existed in Morganton, in the foothills. However, the city decided not to renew the lease to the state and now a city park

exists where we once relied on a good seed source. Instead, seeds were planted at the Claridge State Nursery in Goldsboro, NC, in the east. Not a good solution. The coastal plain climate is not conducive to good quality seedlings and this is what happened. The plants were trashy, forked and not the straight pencil thickness stem that makes for a good 2-0 seedling. And worst of all the nursery was flooded last October, thus contaminating everything growing there including what white pine they had. Nowhere in the state exists a known white pine seed orchard whether it is in the western piedmont or in the mountain region. Most nurseries in Pennsylvania and Michigan have their own seed orchards or has access to orchards within these states to collect different seed species. The seed source is also stated for many Fraser fir and pine sources. They may read NC source, Mt. Rogers or Roan Mountain. These are both state and

Ad – Bosch’s Countryview Nursery 10785 84th Avenue • Allendale, Michigan 49401 Phone: (616) 892-4090 • Fax: (616) 892-4290 Email: brian@boschsnursery.com www.boschsnursery.com

Wholesale Price List for

Quality Seedlings & Transplants Age

Size

Per 100 Rate

Per 1,000 Rate

Age

Size

Per 100 Rate

Per 1,000 Rate

FRASER FIR (2-2, PL+2) 8-15” $110.00 $750.00 (3-2, PL+2) 10-18” $115.00 $775.00 (P+2, P+3) 12-22” $125.00 $850.00

WHITE SPRUCE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” $40.00 $175.00 (2-1, 2-2) 15-20” $90.00 $595.00 (2-2) 15-24” $110.00 $750.00

BALSAM FIR (P+1) 8-14” $86.00 $575.00 (P+2) 10-18” $110.00 $750.00 (P+2, P+3) 12-22” $115.00 $795.00

NORWAY SPRUCE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” $40.00 $175.00 (2-1, 2-2) 15-24” $90.00 $650.00 (2-2) 15-24” $110.00 $750.00 (X-LG) 20-30” $250.00 XXX

CANAAN FIR (P+1) 8-14” $90.00 $595.00 (P+2) 10-18” $115.00 $795.00 (P+2, P+3) 12-22” $125.00 $850.00 DOUGLAS FIR - Lincoln (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” (2-1) 12-18”

$40.00 $175.00 $86.00 $575.00

CONCOLOR FIR (2-0) 5-12” $45.00 $225.00 (2-1, P+1) 8-14” $90.00 $595.00 (2-2, P+2) 10-18” $115.00 $795.00 COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE - San Juan & Kiabab (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” $40.00 $175.00 (2-1, 2-2) 10-16” $82.00 $550.00 (2-2, P+2) 10-18” $110.00 $750.00 (P+2, P+3) 12-22” $115.00 $795.00

VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017

Ad_1_BW.indd VCTGA News1Journal ‒ Spring 2017

BLACKHILL SPRUCE (2-0) 5-12” (2-1) 6-12” (2-2) 12-18” (X-LG) 15-24”

$40.00 $175.00 $75.00 $495.00 $110.00 $750.00 $250.00 XXX

SERBIAN SPRUCE (2-0) 8-14” $45.00 $225.00 (2-1, P+1) 8-15” $90.00 $595.00 (2-2, P+2) 12-18” $115.00 $795.00 AUSTRIAN PINE (2-0) 6-12”

$40.00 $175.00

RED PINE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 6-14”

$45.00 $225.00

Age

Size

Per 100 Rate

Per 1,000 Rate

WHITE PINE - Lake States (2-0, 3-0) 6-14” $45.00 $225.00 (2-1) 8-14” $82.00 $550.00 (2-2) 12-18” $110.00 $750.00 (X-LG) 18-24” $250.00 XXX SCOTCH PINE - Scothighland + French (2-0) 6-12” $35.00 $165.00 (2-0, 3-0) 9-15” $40.00 $175.00 WHITE CEDAR (2-0) (3-0) (2-1) (2-2)

4-8” 8-15” 8-15” 12-18”

$40.00 $60.00 $82.00 $110.00

$195.00 $295.00 $550.00 $750.00

ARBORvITAE - DARK GREEN, TECHNY, EMERALD & GREEN GIANT (RC+1) 6-12” $125.00 $850.00 (RC+2) 12-18” $165.00 $1,100.00 Discount on orders over 10,000 plants For complete list please write or call us. Brian Bosch / Owner

Page

7/9/13 11:01 AM

private sources which these nurserymen collect the seed. a d

a a

Development is consuming land faster than ever. What was once a pristine, open farmland is now subdivision or commercial property. Where can a reliable seed source be planted to offset the effects of development? It seems remote locations away from growing urban areas may be the best answer or on government property such as a state or national forest. Shortages are sure to occur if development continues at the pace its going. er a

es?

What is the potential of other seedling sources for availability? The efforts of micro propagation or tissue culture provides great potential as an alternative. Instead of seed cone production a petri dish in a lab can produce a new plant grown under a clean and enclosed environment. At our state universities, research is ongoing with Fraser fir and other spruce and pine species to develop micro propagated material. This has been successfully done with loblolly pine for eventual field planting for timber production. Another thing I learned is some local Christmas tree growers are also beginning to produce their own seedlings and will no doubt be a source for others to buy. head If this past Christmas tree selling season was an indication as to the phenomenal sales that occurred, we as growers need a reliable seed seedling transplant source to continue planting one to three trees for every one that is cut. Good reliable seed orchards, private ownership of seedling production and possibly micro propagated material to be available will insure a plentiful seedling source for some time. We have seen these gluts in the past but with careful planning, 6 Page |

sowing seed now and not all at once will carry us through to avoid future gluts and then only to see a lack of supply later. Clean, disease free plant material will give us better survivability and fewer mortal situations. I plan to use fungicides to dip the roots and foliage to hopefully kill off any existing pathogens when the plants arrive. To avoid shortages, it is hopeful that efforts can be made to avoid over planting, that could produce a glut, have reliable seed orchards and the use of clean or fumigated material at planting time. With these practices, I believe we can overcome shortages whether it be good or adverse economic times.

No Fertilizer for 16 Years and Soil Nutrient Levels are Unchanged By Steve Rhoades

Provided by Tommy Naylor, North Lake Christmas Tree & Nursery, Benson, NC & VCTGA Director tenaylor07@embarqmail.com

Sa e he a e Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Annual Meeting and Conference s Wytheville Meeting Center

here e a de a e S rees r he re? Dr. Earl Deal, Smokey Holler Tree Farm, has some insights

This is a dirty story, but it needs to be told. The purpose of the story is to examine the proposition that growing Christmas trees will significantly reduce the nutrient content of the soil over time. If so, it would presumably be necessary to add nutrients periodically with some kind of fertili er to maintain an adequate level of nutrients for growing healthy, attractive trees. The impetus for the story stems from a couple of comments I received about earlier articles of mine on fertili ing trees that appeared in the VCTGA newsletter. It is useful to provide a little background to put this article in context. In the earlier articles, I looked at established knowledge in horticulture and soil science, discussed some systematic studies of fertili ing trees, and described my own experiments. As I reported, the established knowledge indicates that trees take up relative little nutrients compared to field crops, and natural forces continually add nutrients to the soil. About a halfdo en studies I read found that fertili ing Christmas trees with nitrogen generally had little beneficial effect, VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

although some studies found an improvement in color. Several experiments that I conducted on my trees involved using various kinds of fertili er around some trees but not others. I conducted this kind of experiment several times on both firs and spruces, and not once did I observe a beneficial effect on the fertili ed trees relative to the unfertili ed trees. As a result of all of this, I have never

fertili ed my trees except for the few used in the experiments. nowing that I was a comparatively new grower, a couple of more-experienced growers suggested that after a rotation or two, I may find it necessary or beneficial to fertili e my fields in order to restore nutrients removed by the trees I grew. That argument seemed logical to me, but it needed to be weighed against the d

facts that ) trees are slow users of nutrients, and 2) nutrients are added to the soil by natural forces, which may be adequate to maintain good soil for my trees. So, after growing trees in my fields for up to years, it seemed like a reasonable amount of time had passed to compare my soil nutrient levels from the time of the initial planting to 20 . The soil tests covered about one-half of my tree fields.

es s he s re c ar s s are rese ed he a e e . The soil tests were conducted by the Virginia Tech Soil Testing Laboratory. I dug the soil samples following the procedure recommended on the sample box. I did, however, dig more samples of soil from each field than recommended to ensure an accurate representation of soil nutrients. Most of the fields were roughly one acre in si e. The nutrient abbreviations in the table are defined as follows P phosphorus, potassium, Ca calcium, and Mg magnesium. Other abbreviations are as follows pH soil acidity, VH very high, H high (meaning plants usually do not respond to fertili er), M medium (meaning plants sometimes respond to fertili er). The various micro-nutrients were all rated as sufficient in the soil report I received, so they are not reported here. re ed

es ear

ree S ec es

200

H-

spruce, pine

H-

spruce, pine

200

H-

Canaan fir, spruce

H-

Canaan fir, spruce

200

spruce

M-

H-

spruce

200

M-

H-

spruce

H-

spruce

200

Douglas fir, cypress

200

H-

pine

H-

pine

As you can see in the table, the results are for six different fields in which trees have been growing continuously for as long as years (200 -20 ) and as few as 0 years (200 -20 ). So, all of the fields have gone through at least one full rotation of trees and some have gone through two, or nearly two, rotations. The nutrient ratings have remained remarkably stable over the 0- years spanned. There have been some instances of variation in ratings in each of the six fields, but the variation has been trivial. For example, in field L, P fell from H to H-, rose from H- to VH, and in field , Ca rose from H to H . Not only were the changes generally very small, but sometimes they went up and other times down. Larger variations in soil nutrients were rare, occurring only three times out of the 2 pairs of test results specifically, in field , P fell from H to M from 200 -20 , in field L, P rose from M- to H-, and in field , rose from M to VH. VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Page 7 |7

The column in the table that shows soil pH reveals that pH levels remained fairly stable over time, remaining in the slightly-to-moderately acidic range. (Recall that a pH of .0 is neutral and below that soil is increasingly acid.) Although most of the fields have a pH level somewhat higher than the suggested optimal level for growing most Christmas tree species, the levels are well within the range that allows the soil nutrients to be utili ed by the trees. Finally, the last column in the table shows the species of trees grown in each field. As you can see, that includes firs, spruces, Douglas firs, pines, and cypresses. Regardless of the tree species, pH and nutrient levels remained highly stable over the 0 to years that trees were growing in these fields. sc ss he a c c s r he s es res s rese ed hs a e s ha he s e ds e a ed r hr s as rees d d red ce he re e es he s . This suggests that natural factors restored nutrients to the soil at more or less the same rate as they were being taken out of the soil as the trees grew. These factors would include the decay of organic matter such as old tree roots and stumps, along with grass and weed cuttings. In addition to these more obvious sources of nutrients, countless numbers of earthworms, micro-organisms, nematodes, and fungi aided in the process, as did minerali ation. Even the many birds I see roosting and nesting in my trees and the ubiquitous rabbit droppings make at least a minor contribution to the soil nutrients. In any event, whatever was going on down in the dirt, apparently was sufficient to maintain the fertility of the soil in my fields. Clearly my tree growing practices play some role in both the loss and retention of soil nutrients. I suspect 8 Page |

that, for the most part, my growing practices are similar to many other growers, especially on choose-andcut farms. I use x spacing, which allows about one-half the number of trees on a given field than would x spacing and thereby presumably requires one-half the nutrients. Grasses and weeds are allowed to grow in both aisles and cross-aisles keeping the soil full of all kinds of roots thereby helping to provide a healthy habitat for the earthworms and micro-organisms that do so much good for the soil and helping break up my relatively heavy soil. Obviously, I must mow in both directions, aisles and cross-aisles, leaving abundant cuttings to decay and return nutrients to the soil. I plant beside old stumps leaving them and their roots to rot in the ground. Finally, because of the relatively high nutrient content of my fields, I do not apply any fertili er, thereby avoiding interfering with the natural processes of nutrient regeneration. There is one critical nutrient that wasn t shown in the table, because it can t be evaluated by a soil analysis but must be measured by a foliar analysis. That nutrient is nitrogen. Because I do not get a nitrogen rating from the Soil Test Lab, I have conducted several different experiments with the application of nitrogen around samples of my trees. I reported on those experiments in several earlier issues of the VCTGA newsletter. Without exception, the application of nitrogen had no apparent effect on my trees. So, it appears that even in connection with nitrogen, which moves through the soil relatively fast, natural factors, such as those described above, have maintained adequate levels of nitrogen in my soil to grow healthy, attractive Christmas trees (in my biased opinion). The soil in all of my fields is technically a silt loam, but there seems to

be considerable variation, with some areas having more silt and clay than might be preferred. In general, it is relatively heavy soil that has the virtue of holding nutrients relatively well, but in some areas has the drawback of holding too much water, which impedes air from getting to the tree roots. c s In conclusion, I have grown Christmas trees of various species in my fields for years, going through up to two full rotations. During this period, I have not applied fertili er of any kind to my tree fields. Soil tests results presented in this article indicate that the trees have not degraded the nutrient content of my soil. Similarly, numerous experiments I conducted involving fertili ing with nitrogen indicate that nitrogen content has not been degraded. It certainly appears to me that the natural forces creating soil nutrients have kept up with the relatively slow rate of nutrient removal by trees. I am, of course, fortunate to have soil with relatively high levels of nutrients to begin with. a r e ds ha e re a e hea s h ar h h re c e h a e er e h er er ree For years, I have gone fertili er-free and put the cost of fertili er and the cost for application of the fertili er in my pocket rather than someone else s. It may not work for you, but if your soil conditions and growing practices are similar to mine, I don t know why it would not. I should add that I do get satisfaction from knowing that I am not disrupting, and am actually encouraging, the complex natural factors that are at work in my dirt. There is a lot of good stuff going on down there eating and excreting, decaying, aeration, minerali ation, and symbiotic relationships between fungi and roots. This is a dirty story with a happy ending VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

If you have not had your soil tested before, you can be assured that the process is easy. Go to the VA Cooperative Extension Service office in your county and pick up a soil sample box and information form for each field that you want tested. Simply follow instructions for filling out the form, digging soil samples, and mailing your boxes to the VA Tech Soil Testing Laboratory. There is no charge for soil tests conducted for a commercial operation. I should offer a cautionary note that the soil test results you receive will almost always include a recommendation that you apply nutrients to your field. Even if a test result for a particular nutrient is High (H), application of fertilizer with that nutrient is recommended. Only when a nutrient level is rated Very High (VH) will fertilizer not be recommended. I have not followed these fertilizer recommendations for various reasons explained in this article; particularly the science/textbook

explanations of 1) the relatively slow nutrient uptake of trees and 2) the natural regeneration of soil nutrients. And now, at the practical level, soil test comparisons presented in this article, along with my nitrogen experiments, have shown that the nutrient levels in my soil have not been degraded by growing Christmas trees for up to 16 years. Beyond the basic science, data, and experiments discussed in this article, one might resort to the old saying, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Or, in this case, “The proof of the soil nutrients is in the trees.” As I mentioned earlier, my trees appear to be healthy and attractive. The sharp divergence between the Cooperative Extension Service’s recommendations for applying fertilizer in almost all soil-rating circumstances and my apparently successful experience with not applying any fertilizer warrants a

possible explanation. The divergence may be due to an assumption by the Extension Service that Christmas tree growers generally use tighter tree spacing than I do. As noted above, if a grower uses 5’x6’ spacing, there would be nearly twice as many trees, requiring twice as much nutrients in a given field than in my fields with 7’x8’ spacing. I suspect that 7’x8’ spacing is more typical of choose-and-cut growers, while 5’x6’, or even 5’x5’, spacing is more common among wholesale growers. Another possible explanation is that the Extension Service may assume that a lot of the trees in a field will be grown to quite a large size, say 15’, and such large trees presumably would take up a lot more nutrients from a field in their later years than more standard-size trees. If either of these possible explanations for the stark divergence between the Exten-

Ad Tim Mitchell’s Yule Stand System

VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Page

sion Service fertili er recommendations and my successful fertili erfree experience to date make sense, perhaps it would be useful for the Cooperative Extension Service and Soil Testing Laboratory to know your tree spacing and ultimate si e in coming up with fertili er recommendations.

trees. We stopped planting or offering them last year and are cutting down the remaining ones or using them for wreath tips.

By Steve Rhoades, Mountain View Farm, Edinburg, VA steve21@shentel.net

Fortunately, we planned 0- 0 alley ways ad acent to our current parking lot so that the car overflow has a place to go. We are strategically planning a network of large alley ways in new fields and are considering some type of shuttle operation in the future. We have not yet worked out the logistics, costs and liability issues associated with this approach.

Questions for Members sa he ar c e S e e h ades r e he er ss e he e s r a a e , he asked several questions for other VCTGA members to respond with their experiences. Below is a response from Tim Williams, Spruce Rock Farm, Brightwood, VA, I read your article with great interest inasmuch as I believe that we both started our tree farms at about the same time ( ?). I thought I d share our experiences Sc ch

We planted French Highland Scotch Pines in hopes that their blue green color would appeal to the baby boomer and older market. The sales volume has not ustified the effort or cost although we get inquiries from some of our millennial customers. We are getting increasing inquiries about Red Cedars. We too have had problems with saw flies plus trees growing lateral branches too thick to remove dead needles. The trees prefer to grow into a ball making shearing a pain . Forget about getting them through a 2 baler.

ar We too have experienced parking overflow.

h e S r ce a d

We offer both since our customers are varied in their desire for bluish and dark green trees. We neither encourage or discourage tipping. If tips are offered, we will graciously accept them especially if the customer is insistent. S ca

ed a

We have our own website and Facebook page where we post information and announcements (blogs etc.). We do not engage in the response process due to the time commitment. Since we are nowhere near your sales volume, increasing sales through social media still makes sense for us. An increasing percentage of our customers are millennials who visit the farm with three generations of family. Their Facebook shares with their friends seems to be very beneficial to us. Tim Williams, Spruce Rock Farm, Brightwood, Virginia 22715 540 543 2309, TimothyWil@msn.com

Worst of all, they develop a gall disease that can t be cured and carry other diseases that can infect other Page 10 10 |

r a s

Managing Vegetation for Optimum Survival and Growth By John Carroll

I am writing this as a follow up to an article that appeared in the 20 2 Summer issue entitled Try a Rye Cover Crop with our Next Christmas Tree Planting . In that article, I reported on a planting we had done at Claybrooke Farm in the fall of 20 . The field had been in row crops and we were converting it to pasture for livestock. Our farmer drilled rye, white clover and fescue into the corn stubble when he finished with the field after the corn harvest. The pasture pro ect did not work out so we planted the field in Canaan fir and a few White pine later that fall. e ears a er e ha e ear ed s e a a e ess s a ha c d s r de he es e r e r s r a r h hea era ce a d s e era re a a e e . Much of this information is standard practice for Fraser fir production in the mountains but can be applied in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of Virginia and other states.

he r e c er sh he h s r ded shade r he e re s er d d c ee h he rees a d as ed ear a The rye worked so well it actually smothered out some of the less desirable annual weeds like horse-

VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

weed and lambs quarter. The resulting stand was mostly white clover that provided excellent cover for the next several years. We made a couple of applications of glyphosate each year for the next years eliminating the fescue and maintaining a beautiful crop of clover. Clover is tolerant to glyphosate, especially at low rates, but as you would guess other vegetation made its way into the plantation like morning glories, crab grass, foxtail, annual weeds, poke berry, blackberry, hardwoods, and of course our favorite, poison ivy. It took some selective use of herbicides to help control the morning glories, poke, blackberry, hardwoods, and poison ivy but some of the other volunteer vegetation was beneficial. As the clover slowed down with the hot dry weather of summer the foxtail, crabgrass, and other annuals were welcome shade for the young trees and helped keep the soil temperatures lower. These plants germinate later and do not usually compete with the trees during that early initial survival period. The clover provides a triple benefit of keeping the soil temperatures lower, holding moisture, and providing beneficial nitrogen for the trees. Fescue is not welcome in our fields anymore, even as a corridor between the rows.

This plantation is now years old, mostly - Canaan fir and White pine. With an initial survival of 0 we will be ready to start harvesting it in 20 . A recent photo shows the field in nearly the same location as the 20 2 photo. Tree si e is very uniform and impressive for its age. The VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

white clover is fading from the plantation due to our failure to maintain the PH and nutrients at a level that is conducive to clover production. We applied lime in pelleti ed form this spring along with a custom blended 2- 0-20 fertili er the first application in this field since 20 when the trees were planted. We have plans to do some experimental gra ing with sheep in a small area of this field next summer, a practice used on some European Christmas tree farms. I may end up sleeping there to keep an eye on the trees O r r a eh d re a a ed s e a he rees a d he a ea d r e s as rescr ed as es . This makes establishing the cover crop and white clover much easier. We have been doing this for several years but you can get behind in your planting unless you have unlimited land. Since our customer base is growing faster than our supply of trees, we experimented this spring by replanting a field that had about 0of the mature trees left. We could not establish our normal rye cover on the field due to the 00 or so mature trees in the field so we decided to let the annual weeds provide that initial shade for the small trees. The PH was adequate so we applied fertili er at the recommended rate and planted Canaan fir by the stumps on about acres in early March. We had fescue corridors between the rows of mature trees so we sprayed the entire field with glyphosate in late April to eliminate competition from the newly planted trees. We managed the cover by bush hogging once in early summer and then let the weeds grow until mid- September when we made another application of glyphosate to clean up the field and followed up by bush hogging one last time. This would work for most farms that plant by the stump. It doesn t look particularly good but the trees are better off, soil temps are lower, and

the weeds provide good shade when the trees really need it. If you wanted to establish a white clover ground cover the following fall or winter you would need to make sure the PH was between .0- . , have or apply the proper nutrients for the clover, and find an effective way to establish the clover. We like to use Duran ladino clover and frost seed in February at a rate of - pounds per acre. Getting it on ust prior to a snow is ideal using pelleti ed lime as a carrier and either a hand crank seeder or a tractor mounted spreader. This sounds pretty simple but actually it s quite a bit of work up front but a time and tree saver in the long run. a seed s a d ra s a s d e eca se ch e he he are rs es a shed Planting on bare ground and maintaining a weed free environment throughout the growing season (without having irrigation) will cost several percentage points in survival during a normal year and spell disaster in a drought situation. I really prefer using the good weeds and clover to provide the optimum growing conditions for our trees. Our family is not unanimous on this management technique due to its unsightly appearance during most of the summer and the fall bush hogging that provides an unpleasant ride on the tractor. Perhaps if you want the real scoop on this management tool before you try it you should contact our tractor operator and farm host, Virginia By John Carroll, Claybrooke Farm, Louisa, VA claybrookefarm@gmail.com

Page 11 | 11

12 |

VCTGA News Journal â&#x20AC;&#x2019; Spring 2017

Profile of a Christmas Tree Grower – 27 Years Ago by Bernard S. Douglass Reprinted from VCTGA 1990

Christmas tree growers are very special people. Although they are all different as individuals, they seem to share certain characteristics that set them apart from an average cross section of humanity in general. ne trait that comes to mind is fierce independence and rugged individualism. ost growers had to pull themselves up by their boot straps. They put their labor, faith, imagination, and hard-earned money on a high-risk enterprise. Small wonder that they waste little sympathy on able-bodied adults who turn down work on their tree farms in favor of receiving un-earned welfare benefits. nother characteristic in common is willingness to gamble and assume ris s. How many run-of-themill people would bet on a crop that won t produce a dime s profit for 6 or 7 years Even then, they can only hope and pray that they planted the right species and seed source to make their future buyers happy. And who knows how competitive the market will be in the distant future when the trees are ready to sell third common trait is a love for nature and appreciation of how trees grow and respond to T C. It is surely more than mere coincidence that so many growers dabble in flowers, vegetable gardens, and other horticulture hobbies. Growers sometimes bristle at the excesses of socalled environmentalists who would ban all herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides that help keep their trees living and healthy. et, these same growers are among the most effective environmentalists in the country. They protect their soil to prevent erosion and filling streams with silt. VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

They create beautiful greenery in fields that would otherwise be bare, unsightly, and unproductive. They create havens for wildlife. They produce a renewable crop that spreads oy and seasonal happiness to the consumer. Christmas tree growers are, indeed, true environmentalists

will take the time to collect the trees, weight them, and place them in the deep water of their favorite fishing waters in an effort to hide the little fish from the game fish, and the game fish in turn work their way into the area in an effort to feed on the little fish.

nother trait that comes to mind is sunny dispositions. ost Christmas tree growers are naturally happy people. They en oy the fun of travel, meetings, field tours, and social functions. But they also en oy solitude and meditation while walking in their trees. The liquid call of the meadowlark, drumming of a ruffed grouse, or sight of a soaring hawk makes them realize and appreciate how close and harmoniously that they are working with nature.

lanting these trees in waters after Christmas pays off in southern waters in ust a short time. Anglers putting out the trees in the next few days expect to find fish in them in the spring. It happens in most cases, but not always.

nd finally, Christmas tree people share the lot of being very fortunate people. hat a rare privilege it is to be able to earn or supplement a living while having the time of your life Provided by Paris Rasnic, Moose Apple Christmas Tree Farm, Berryville, & VCTGA Director

Recycling Evergreens Helps Improve Fishing – 30 Years Ago by Brodie McDowell Reprinted from Greensboro News & Record (1987)

Evergreens that have been brightly lit and highly decorated for the Christmas season will be seen on streets in front of many homes during the next several days as they await pickup by the trash collectors. There isn t much demand for a used Christmas tree, and not too many people thin of recycling these evergreens. ot all of these trees wind up in the garbage dump or being burned by an individual. Some will be recycled by fishermen who

Bass fishermen are notorious for putting out trees in such bigger waters as err Lake, Lake orman, and along the adkin chain of High ock, Tillery and Tuckertown. They reason that these fish attractors bring in the smaller fish and the bass follow them, giving the angler a better chance to catch fish. Those who fish for crappies have known for years that they can shorten the time between bites by putting out Christmas trees around piers and boat docks. Some of these fishing fanatics sweeten the pot by filling bags with rotten vegetables as a secondary inducement to the crappies. Creating fish hides can be done on almost any body of water, even farm ponds and small la es and impoundments. It is important in many cases that such attractors or other man-made attractors be placed in the waters to provide structure for fish. Guilford ildlife Club members lost no time in getting started on recycling trees that a few nights ago were in dens or living rooms of Guilford County homes. ember ay arley worked with club president Larry Shanks in putting out the first tree, locating it in fairly deep water near an area that could be reached by anglers casting from a pier. A couple of other trees were readied for putting out, but

Page 1 | 13

will have to wait until other members bring out concrete blocks to be used to anchor the trees. We re going to put out some more trees pretty soon, Shanks said. One of our members is going to do most of it. We re going to have to be pretty careful because the lake is going to be dropped about seven feet in order to cover some pipes on the upper end. Marley and Shanks used a chain saw to cut two trees that were deemed too tall for suitable shelters. They could find ust one concrete block on club property on this day, so they used it to weight down the fattest, shortest trees available. Greensboro s Eddie Land has been known to stop his pickup truck to pick up discarded trees as he rides around town after Christmas. Land, a brick contractor, stockpiles these trees on a vacant lot until he gets a sufficient number to take to err Lake. r ess a s h sh ass r a e s rea e hs r e he s r c re he r a ers The Christmas tree plays a part in this. At other times, even larger trees are brought into play. Junior Collis of Atlanta in the early 0s was known to cut down big trees, then drag them by boat to an area where they were weighted. These pros go to great lengths to hide their fishing spots from others. Some of them don t put out markers of any kind, others use very small bobbers as markers, putting the bobber in the general area, but not directly over the structure. In some cases, anglers who come across these markers move them 0 to 00 feet in another direction after locating the structure. The evergreen is a symbol of the Christmas season. But the recycling of this tree can make your fishing days more en oyable next spring and 14Page 1 |

summer. Taking the time now to gather a few trees and putting them in your favorite fishing waters will pay dividends. This is recycling at its best. Provided by Paris Rasnic, Moose Apple Christmas Tree Farm, Berryville, & VCTGA Director

Beneficial of the Week Pollinators By: Paula Shrewsbury, University of Maryland

a r e

e s s r de d res rces r a rs a d a ra e e es

Plants provide resources in the form of nectar and pollen for beneficial insects such as pollinators and omnivorous natural enemies. Many beneficial insects are in decline and their overall diversity and abundance are at risk. One of the simpler ways to mitigate ongoing declines in beneficial insects is to provide floral resources (nectar and pollen) from plants that are attractive and nutritional to these insects. Green industry professionals and the public in general should know which plants provide resources that help to conserve beneficial insects. Green industry professionals can gain from his knowledge in multiple ways. First, trees, shrubs, and flowering plants can be marketed for their added benefit of supporting beneficial insects. Secondly, you can be stewards of the environment by recommending and installing plants and or designing landscapes that favor pollinators and or natural enemies. Conservation practices also help to retain ecosystem services provided by insects such as pollination and biological control. Natural biological control helps reduce pest outbreaks and reduces costs (less pesticides are needed) associated with the management of landscapes and nurseries.

One thing to remember is that not all plants are created equal in the nutritional value of their nectar and pollen. Over the past do en or so years numerous research studies have been conducted evaluating the attractiveness and nutritional value of woody and herbaceous ornamental plants to pollinators and natural enemies. There a several good research-based resources as to which plants are best at conserving pollinators and or natural enemies. At the end of this article I provide a list of these resources and their web links. I am sure this is not an inclusive list but to date these are the sources I have found to be useful. In addition to choosing the appropriate plants for conserving pollinators and natural enemies, there are several other factors to consider. For example, plants should be selected so at least a few plants are in bloom throughout the entire season. Most challenging are plants that bloom very early in the season (some trees fulfill this niche) or very late. Flowers should vary in their floral architecture since big flowers (Composites) will attract different insects than small flowers (ex. Umbelliferae). Diversity is good Since lack of optimal floral resources are one of several factors that influence pollinator and natural enemy health, also keep in mind other measures to reduce detrimental impacts on beneficials. Practicing IPM and implementing management tactics other than pesticides, or selecting pesticides that have been shown through research to have less detrimental impact on beneficials is all part of the strategy to protect pollinators, natural enemies, and biodiversity overall. Resources on flowering trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that have been shown through research to provide

VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

optimal floral resources for pollinators and or natural enemies (note this is not an inclusive list) The erces Society Conservation of diverse arthropods (ex. pollinators, monarch butterflies, natural enemies) http www.xerces.org erces Society List of PollinatorFriendly Plants Mid-Atlantic Region at: http://www.xerces.org/pollinatorconservation/plant-lists/ Multistate bulletin on Protecting and enhancing pollinators in urban landscapes for the U.S. North Central Region

A research-based list of flowering woody landscape plants that are attractive to bees: http://www.floraldaily.com/article/9082/US-HRI-publishes-bee-friendly-plant-lists To access the list, click on the www.GrowWise.org/ChallengeToolkit, or go directly to list at: http://growwise.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/HRI-PollinatorBeePlantLists-February2017.pdf

http msue.anr.msu.edu resources how to protect and increase pollinators in your landscape

Native plants attractive to natural enemies and pollinators (Michigan State University) http://nativeplants.msu.edu/ and http://nativeplants.msu.edu/resources/publications

Sa e he a e Virginia Christmas Tree Growers Annual Meeting and Conference s

Tree & Wreath Contest, Are You In?

her a re s es er S a s The Pest Predictive Calendar is a monitoring tool to assist in predicting when susceptible life stage(s) (stage you want to target for control measures) of pest insects are active by using plant phenological indicators (PPI) and growing degree days (GDD). This tool will lead to improved timing of management tactics and more effective pest management. http extension.umd.edu ipm pestpredictive-calendar-landscapenursery

Ad – Riverside Enterprises

Kelco Industries

VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Pest Predictive Calendar Landscape/Nursery

Page 1 | 15

New Gypsy Moth Quarantine in Wythe County across the Commonwealth. Program areas include Suppression, Slow the Spread, uarantine and Regulatory.

male(left) and female (right) Asian gypsy moths - shown for comparison -photo credit: USDA APHIS PPQ, USDA APHIS PPQ,

Bugwood.org

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) has expanded the Virginia Gypsy Moth uarantine (2VAC 0) to include the county of Wythe. This action became necessary after surveys indicated an increase in gypsy moth populations in Wythe County. Once established, the gypsy moth has the potential to spread to uninfested areas, either through natural means or through the artificial movement of infested articles. The quarantine is intended to prevent the artificial spread of this pest. nder the terms of the quarantine, trees with roots, shrubs with roots, (except if greenhouse grown throughout the year), logs and pulpwood, (except if moved to a mill operation under a compliance agreement), firewood, mobile homes and associated equipment, and cut Christmas trees are prohibited from moving out of the quarantined area unless articles are certified as gypsy moth free. The gypsy moth is a destructive, exotic forest pest that was accidentally introduced into the nited States in . It is currently established throughout the Northeast and parts of the upper Midwest. The Office of Plant Industry Services manages the gypsy moth program Page 1 16 |

ress

The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services cooperates with the .S. Forest Service and localities to suppress gypsy moth populations and protect contiguously forested areas with priority to residential, forested and high-use public recreational areas. This program is locally based with infested localities determining their own level of participation. Requirements for participation can be found in the Virginia Gypsy Moth Suppression Program Guidelines. Federal cost-share money may be available for participating localities. s

he S read

Virginia participates in the Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Foundation, which establishes a formal framework for cooperation among states and the .S. Department of Agriculture to slow the spread of the gypsy moth. The Office of Plant Industry Services conducts annual surveys at the edge of the generally infested area in an effort to find low gypsy moth populations. The goal of the Slow the Spread program is early detection so that these small gypsy moth infestations can be more easily managed. s

h e

ara a r

The goal of the Virginia Gypsy Moth uarantine is to prevent the artificial

movement of the gypsy moth from areas which are infested (quarantine area) to those areas which are not in-

fested. The Office of Plant Industry Services conducts gypsy moth surveys each year to determine when population levels warrant adding new localities to the quarantine. The gypsy moth regulatory program provides assistance to businesses which may be impacted by requirements of the Virginia Gypsy Moth uarantine. Businesses moving regulated articles must ensure that these articles are free of the gypsy moth. The Office of Plant Industry Services can conduct inspections or enter into compliance agreements with impacted businesses to allow for self-inspections and certification of regulated articles. To obtain information about compliance agreements, please contact 0 . . . If you are planning to move a recreational vehicle, shed, outdoor furniture, equipment or toys from an area infested with the gypsy moth to an area that is not infested, visit ourMoveGypsyMothFree.com to see how you can conduct an inspection and ensure compliance with state and federal gypsy moth quarantines. ac Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread

VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Larry Bradfield - 0. .2 0 gypsymoth vdacs.virginia.gov Gypsy Moth Suppression and Regulatory Tina MacIntyre, 0 . . Tina.macintyre vdacs.virginia.gov Provided by Danny Neel, VDACS Marketing, Danny.Neel@vdacs.virginia.gov Abingdon, VA

VCTGA Board Meeting Update 3/15/17 he

ee as ca ed rder a a . by President Jeff Gregson with the following present Greg Lemmer, John Carroll, Paris and athy Rasnic, John Houston, Tommy Naylor, Dave Thomas, Danny Neel yle Peer and Jeff Miller. (Absent Robert O eeffe and Tim Williams). a ca e r Jeff Miller reviewed the reports that had been emailed to the board prior to the meeting. He noted that the total cash assets were 20, , as of 2 , down about , 00 from the previous year. Membership dues were down by about members. On the P L, it was noted that includes the final grant reimbursement for , 2 . The meeting expenses were higher in 20 , but some of the grant funds covered some of the meeting expenses. 20 expenses were in line with previous years expenses. S S ec a r ra Greg Lemmer reviewed the new grant application that he had ust submitted for 0,0 for upgrades to the website and to tie in with the national Christmas Tree Promotion Board marketing initiative that began in 20 . It also includes updates on marketing materials, banners, signs and exhibits at the State Fair of Virginia and the MANTS trade show in 20 and 2020. e ersh Jeff Miller reported that membership renewals were in line with previous years and that dues reminders will be sent out to members not having renewed yet. Jeff VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Miller will send the board a complete membership and non-member contact list and dues form to contact nonmembers and to offer them the opportunity to oin the VCTGA. It was the consensus of the board to propose to the membership that the VCTGA dues be raised 0 to cover the increased assessment to the NCTA for the TIP program. S a e a r Jeff Gregson reported that he had attended a commodity meeting at the State Fair, discussing plans on how to drive more traffic to the Pavilion, change the traffic flow, provide more signage, and tie the exhibits together in a more cohesive fashion. There was some discussion the 20 VCTGA exhibit with the possibility of working with the pumpkin growers and or setting up a Christmas photo op area for folks to take the Christmas family photo and or selfies with a Christmas tree with battery LED lights. Jeff Miller discussed the option of providing information to the schools who have tours through the State Fair.

Dave Robishaw and Danny Neel representing the VCTGA at MANTS

S Danny Neel reported that the VDACS sponsored booth at MANTS for the VCTGA went well in January with a record attendance on the first day of the show and over ,000 people attending over a -day period and over ,000 exhibitors. VDACS is tentatively signed up for the space in 20 and the VCTGA may be able to cover the expense in 20 and 2020 with grant funds. He also noted that it would be good for have different growers at the exhibit.

There were more inquires this year on sources of trees, wreaths, tips etc. e s r a Jeff Miller thanked Paris Rasnic and Tommy Naylor for providing articles for the News Journal and noted that there is still a need for profile article. It was the consensus of the board the present the idea of going to a periodic e-News format after the annual meeting and not print copies of the News Journal. Members would be able to receive more timely info and could still print it out if they want print copies. a d e r John Carroll reported that with one management company managing both groups, there would be better coordination of activities and efficiencies of operations. John is the current VCTGA representative to the NCTA. It was the consensus of the board that the VCTGA should nominate a board member for the CTBP Region . Jim Rockis, President of the CTBP, will be making a presentation on the CTBP at the VCTGA Annual Meeting in August. It was recommended that he show the video of the 20 promotional activities. a ee John Carroll reviewed the tentative program for the VCTGA meeting on August - , 20 at the Wytheville Meeting Center. hr s as ree r er d ca a r ra yle Peer reported that he expected 20-2 attendees for the upcoming educational program on March . There will also be two Christmas tree farm tours in late May.

Page 17 | 17

uture of CT eff Gregson reviewed the need to have another strategic planning meeting to update the 2 1 plan and to plan for replacement of Horticulture anagement Associates in a couple of years, when eff iller retires. It was the consensus of the board to plan on a strategic planning meeting for the 2nd week of September in aynesboro and obtain the services of a facilitator. eff iller will follow up with a location and facilitator. Scholarships eff iller reminded the board, on behalf of obert O’ eeffe, that the scholarship deadline is April 1 and to help spread the word on the scholarships. eing no other business, the meeting was ad ourned at p.m. CT oard eeting, ednesday, ugust , , -6 p.m. at the ytheville Convention Center with dinner to follow. Provided by Jeff Miller, secretary@VirginiaChristmasTrees.org

Have You Renewed your NCTA Membership? The CTA office has been receiving membership renewals at a brisk pace during the first two months of 2 17. If you have not renewed your membership, you are encouraged to do so at your earliest convenience to ensure that you don’t miss the Spring issue of the American Christmas Tree ournal or you opportunity to participate in the ational Christmas Tree Contest. ot currently a member e encourage you to take a look at the work that the association does on behalf of the industry and oin your fellow growers in furthering the industry. lease click here for a membership application National Christmas Tree Association www.realchristmastrees.org,

Page 1 18 |

News from the National Christmas Tree Association ew esticide pplicator Certification egs E A has announced a further delay in the effective date of new regulations governing certification of pesticide applicators. roposed new rules include Enhanced applicator competency standards  inimum age for certified applicators  aximum recertification interval of five years  Training program requirement for non-certified applicators using restricted use pesticides ( ’s)  Eliminates the special process to allow non-readers to gain certification The original effective date was arch 6, 2 17, and was pushed back to ay 22 in accordance with residential directive freezing new regulations pending a review by the new administration. The ational Association of State epartments of Agriculture ( AS A) opposed the new regulations, citing an undue financial burden for the states, largely responsible for implementation of the new rules. 

illing

Executive Order aimed at withdrawing the aters of the S, or OT S rule, on arch the E A and Army Corps of Engineers released a otice of Intention to eview and escind or evise the Clean ater ule. The notice, signed by E A Administrator ruitt and by ouglas Lamont, senior official at the epartment of the Army, was published arch 6 in the ederal egister. The new administration’s strategy is to review the rule through a formal notice-and-comment rule-making process and to contemplate more narrowly interpreting the term “navigable waters,” as defined in the C A, in a method consistent with the view of Supreme Court ustice Antonin Scalia in Rapanos v. United States. It is expected to be a lengthy process.

Ad – Tree Teck

T S

ollowing the resident’s signing of the

VCTGA News Journal –Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017

Christmas Tree Promotion Board hr s as ree r Shares a a

c s

ec ed ha r

At the Christmas Tree Promotion Board s recent meeting, Jim Rockis was elected to serve as the Chairman of the board for the next year. Rockis, a seedling producer and Christmas tree grower from West Virginia, was originally named to the board in January of 20 and was recently re-appointed by former Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack. Rockis succeeds Betty Malone of Oregon in this position where she served for two years. I have so much respect for Betty, commented Jim Rockis. The time that she devoted to this program and her commitment to creating a strong foundation is incredible. Rockis has chaired the Research Committee for the CTPB and has been very visible at state and regional meetings over the last two years, representing the Promotion Board. Joining Rockis as officers of the Promotion Board are Rex orson of orson s Tree Farms in Sidney, Michigan as Vice Chairman Paul Battaglia of Battaglia Ranch Christmas Tree Farm in San Martin, California as Treasurer and Beth Walterscheidt of Evergreen Farms in Elgin, Texas as Secretary.

VCTGA News Journal ‒ Spring 2017 VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2017

ard hs

Following on the heels of its first, fully-funded promotional campaign, the Christmas Tree Promotion Board shared a campaign summary video with hundreds of Christmas tree producers across the country. The video is a highlights reel of sorts sharing the fun, heartwarming and creative activations from the 20 promotional campaign, notes CTPB Executive Director, Tim O Connor. The video provides growers the opportunity to see what they likely missed during the busy harvest and selling season. These sessions were also an opportunity to hear grower feedback on the campaign and what they would like to see as the campaign moves forward. The CTPB is hoping to host an on-line webinar featuring the video and a question and answer session for growers who may not have seen the video at a local meeting. Details on the session will be announced to growers via email.

e e a d ha s e r Concept Farm, CTPB s ad agency, presented detailed results on consumer reach for each of the activations that were a part of the 20 campaign. Board members learned how each activation was executed, it s related costs and the measurable reach for each event. ar he ca a d e as re a d s ca a c s er research. The research was enlightening and provided tremendous guidance on potential customers, their motivations and tendencies, as well as their propensity to purchase real or artificial Christmas trees. Most importantly, the research provided insight into messag-

ing that would appeal to our target audience and where to reach our target customers. Based on the results of the 20 campaign, the Promotion Board chose to adopt a campaign plan for 20 that includes the following The CTPB management team will create and manage the 20 campaign strategy and secure contracts with both the ad agency and public relations firm.  a e ce ar ce a a as he ad a e c for the campaign and keep the It s Christmas. eep it Real tagline.  Se ec a e c re a s r , to oin the CTPB campaign team to maximi e the reach of our consumer messages.  crease r er e e in the campaign by providing easier and earlier access to campaign assets.  crease r er reach training growers how to use the campaign by providing social media training in person and on-line, and expand grower-direct communications efforts.  a e a a e e ea e er arsha ra , for additional hours and focus efforts on grower engagement and communications. To create that available time, Gray is resigning her position as the Executive Director of the Michigan Christmas Tree Association. The Promotion Board will be sharing campaign updates as we move through the summer and approach Christmas 20 .



| 19 Page 1

383 Coal Hollow Rd Christiansburg, VA 24073-6721 383 Coal Hollow Rd 540-382-7310 Christiansburg, VA

STD PRST US POSTAGE PAID WYTHEVILLE, VA PERMIT 172

24073-6721 540-382-7310 www.Virginia

ChristmasTrees.org

Save the Dates August 10-12, 2017! Annual Conference Wytheville, Virginia

www.Virginia ChristmasTrees.org

SAVE THE DATES!!

VCTGA Annual Membership Meeting & Conference August 15-16 Blacksburg

VCTGA News Journal – Spring 2013

Page 25